Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Forget 3D, think live!

My good friend, Raul Pacheco-Vega invited me to Bard on the Beach and of course, when Raul asks me for anything it is usually answered with an “Absolutely”. I needed to spend some quality time with Raul and also I have never been to Bard on the Beach. Admittedly, I haven’t entertained the thought of going to Bard on the Beach well because high school literature scared and scarred me, but also because I always thought you have to dress up for theatre. Combination of childhood trauma and laziness meant I never sought the opportunity to go.

The entire experience – from weather, transportation, the venue and the show itself was amazing! It started with the gorgeous sunny weather which made the walk from The Network Hub to False Creek to catch the False Creek Ferries refreshing. Watching the sun glitter on the water and blue sky as the backdrop for the Vancouver skyline literally took my breath away.

Waiting for False Creek Ferries at Science World

Vancouver skyline with blue sky as the backdrop

The tide just happened to be high, higher than usual today at 17 feet as our boat captain explained; on average high tide is about 15 feet and we exceeded the limit. The high tide made us almost close to ground level with the buildings and the seawall. The birds were chilling out on the water basking in the sun among a few boaters – luxury and inflatable-alike, everyone is just happy to be outside today.

Two ferries and four stops later, we arrived at our destination – Vanier Park. Now Vanier Park is home to Vancouver Maritime Museum, H.R. Macmillan Space Center and Vancouver Museum, so if you are planning an activity before the show come a little early and visit one of these three sites. Bard on the Beach, is of course situated by the beach, and wow what a wonderful concept it is. Walking in I realized I was completely misinformed about Bard on the Beach, people were well-dressed but not stuffy and it was a casual environment. “Much Ado About Nothing” was the opening night for the 2010 Bard season so the 520-seat tent was completely full.

The stage was a simple stage, but only to not take away from the main feature – the backdrop was the city itself with the open blue sky and the waters of False Creek. For the next 3 hours, I soaked in every word and laughed at every comedy hook. I sighed and gasped on cue as the actors pulled me along like a string puppet as they play out their storyline. I can tell the actors and actresses not only love what they do but they also want me to know how much they love it too – this in itself was invigorating and inspiring. You cannot help but feel something in yourself when you have seen a piece of art that has so much heart and passion.

If you haven’t gone to Bard on the Beach, put it at the top of your list this summer!